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GuReview - The Taken

by Gureviewer: rachelklepadlo

Ease Of Booking :

Booked online, no problems.
My game ticket was provided at no cost in return for an honest review and feedback on the game.

Entrance Rating:

Lobby : Upon entry into the suite, the lobby is dark with some seating along one wall. There was enough room for 9 of us to stand around and chat without feeling too claustrophobic, but there is only seating for 3-4 people. There is a large reception desk on one side of the lobby, and a door suggesting a 2nd game is in the making alongside it.

Hospitality : While there are no food or drinks being served within the venue, there are ample food options along Kings Highway. The restroom was clean but small, with a dark red light to illuminate the space. Is it foreshadowing the game to come?

Time Keeping : Our 11AM game started at 11:20AM, as I was late and the owner was nice enough to let us start the game later.
*Please keep in mind that it can take time to find parking in this area. Mass transit is suggested*

Briefing Details : The briefing was issued via audio recording once we were in the rooms, securely handcuffed to our starting locations. Dark and creepy, we were told that we were apprentices of a serial killer, and had an hour to escape prior to becoming his next victims.

Operator Intro : Exciting - takes you into the story

Operators :

The GM/Owner was pleasant, dedicated, and obviously cared about his venue. He took his time and really got to know the players, and we didn't feel rushed, even though we were late.

The Game :

For being open only a few weeks, the game had an excellent flow to it. The story made sense, the puzzles stuck to the theme, and were truly enjoyable.
A few finishing touches are needed, and I anticipate that the owner will continue to upgrade the room as additional teams leave feedback on the game.
I would recommend this room to groups of 4. 6 people would be a little tight in some places, and 2 people may have quite a difficult time solving a few puzzles. The puzzles are difficult enough to keep veteran players entertained, while simple enough for a new player to enjoy.

The Venue :

The venue is clean and easy to get to, with room for a 2nd game to be developed. Clearer signage is definitely needed, and I anticipate the owner adding it in the near future.
I look forward to playing any new games that develop at Element Quest.

Main Room - First Glance :

Wow!

Our group of 4 was split into two different rooms to begin the experience. I began the game in a creepy, dark bathroom (that was larger than the lobby bathroom!). Writing and blood was all over the walls, and we instantly made friends with our roommate, Mr. Fishy. Nothing was super high tech looking, but the room also wasn't covered in a bunch of locks. Where were we to begin, handcuffed and unable to explore the space?

Flow :

Very Good and coherent flow

This game is heavily dependent on communication between the two rooms. That being said, the flow of this room is also heavily dependent on your team mates. I recommend playing this room with friends, so you have a better idea of how they act and are willing to share information more freely.
About 2/3rds of the way through the game, both paths converge as the groups physically join each other.
The flow of this room is very smooth, if cooperation is had.

Puzzles :

Some of them were great (matched promised level)

90% of the puzzles in this room matched the theme of the game, which was very exciting to see in this horror room. I also enjoyed that the room wasn't overly tech heavy or depend on just locks. The puzzles were mostly clear as to how to solve them, and relied on some heavy searching of the rooms and keeping inventory of unused items. I felt as if I was in a Resident Evil game, trying to figure out which props I would need to take with me at each turn.
We faced some minor setbacks due to doors/props opening and not being able to hear them or notice them open. This was 100% our fault.

Hints & Clues : walkie talkie, unlimited clues.

Policy: Loose or no policy

Hints & Clues Quality: An interesting concept we haven't seen before was utilized in this room - the GM used the walkie talkies to talk to us, but we also used them to talk to each other. It was a little difficult at times to know who we were talking to.
At one point, a little girl found our walkie talkie channel and began to talk to us, which upped the creepy factor within the room momentarily.

Quality: Good (things made sense)

Closure & Debrief :

Excellent (Catharsis)

We finished the game with about 15 minutes left on the clock. The GM walked us through both starting points, so we could see the set in rooms that we didn't access, and explained some of the puzzles that we had solved differently than he anticipated.

Venue Description: Element Quest is on the 2nd floor of a 3 story building along the busy shopping district on Kings Highway. A large sign can be seen indicating that Element Quest is on the 2nd floor.
Upon arrival at the building, a small sign is on a door that leads to stairs, showing us where to locate the business.
On the second floor, there is currently no signage to indicate you are at the correct business. The main entrance has frosted windows and door.

Public Transportation : Some

The Q train is one block away. There are several buses in the vicinity. The game is 45 minutes from Times Square.

Parking : Only street parking – well-packed| Paid parking, next to the venue

As it was Sunday, parking was free on the street. There is a paid parking lot around the corner at TJ Maxx.